News

We, the IAMS-GW board express our deepest condolences for the devastating loss of lives and demolished communities due to the recent earthquake in the Kermanshah Province, Iran. It is particularly sad and frustrating to us for our inability to provide direct medical assistance to the over 7000 injured who survived the earthquake. At the very least, we would like to provide our members with venues through which monetary donations may be made. Both organizations listed below are Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) licensed, allowing the transfer of funds to the source within Iran. Please direct your questions to each organization, as IAMS-GW is only sharing the information provided by these non-profit organizations: Children of Persia https://cop-earthquakerelief.weebly.com/ Mom’s Against Poverty https://www.momsagainstpoverty.org/our-stories/ Wishing you and your family a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season, IAMS-GW board

Dr. Azadeh Sami, a pediatrician in northern Virginia, discussed summer safety for children. The interview on how to keep your kids safe in the summertime was done by the Virginia Medical Updates, a program that airs on Channel 10 in Fairfax, VA. Dr. Sami is president of the Iranian-American Medical Society of Greater Washington. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as the AAP Council on Early Childhood and the AAP Section on Obesity. She has also been selected to serve on the AAP Section on Osteopathic Pediatricians Research Subcommittee. She attended medical school at Midwestern University’s Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, then completed her pediatrics residency at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. Prior to her medical studies, she obtained her Masters of Science in Public Health degree at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center School of Medicine.

2017 -2018 Scholarship Program Children of Persia (COP) was established in 1999 with the objective of promoting the well-being of the disadvantaged Iranian children thru providing healthcare, education, and social services assistance. In 2006, Children of Persia, through its generous donors, started its scholarship program with a focus on assisting students with financial need to meet their goal of attaining higher education. COP truly believes that knowledge is power. Over the years, we have realized that those we help become strong advocates when it comes to helping others and as such, we hope to inspire the younger generation to help themselves and help others through their success. This year, for a third year in a row, we are partnering with the Iranian American Medical Society (IAMS) of Greater Washington Metropolitan Area, to add one additional scholarship with a focus on students in health related fields. Full scholarship information and application material can be found on the Children of Persian website.

In light of the recent restrictions placed on the Medical Graduates from countries including Iran, the IAMS-GW supports numerous other American medical societies in supporting the Foreign Medical Graduates. Please see the letters below that have been circulating to address this issue.IAMS letter of support coming soon. February 1, 2017 President Donald J. Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Trump: The undersigned organizations are deeply concerned that the January 27 executive order restricting the admission of certain foreign nationals and refugees to the United States will disrupt patient care, health education, and medical research. Our organizations are dedicated to promoting a diverse and culturally competent health and biomedical workforce—at home and abroad—that supports improvements in health care, access to providers, breakthroughs in medical research, and equitable health for all patients regardless of their backgrounds. We urge the administration to provide additional guidance and to reconsider aspects of the executive order to avoid unnecessarily undermining our ability to fulfill these shared missions. Among its challenges, the United States currently faces a number of health care workforce shortages. Highly skilled health professionals from other countries, many in roles that otherwise could not be filled, represent a significant […]